The Boat Race: behind the scenes with the RNLI

Every year, up to 400,000 people gather along the River Thames in London to watch one of the most iconic events in the sporting calendar: the Boat Race.
Keeping those spectators safe around the water is a team of RNLI crew members and lifeguards. Go behind the scenes as they prepare for one of the biggest days in the British sporting calendar.
As a charity, we rely on donations from the public to fund this lifesaving work. To support the crew of Chiswick lifeboat station, visit: bit.ly/ChiswickRNLI
SUPPORT OUR LIFESAVING WORK - bit.ly/DonateToTheRNLI
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The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, lifeboat crews around the UK and Ireland are ready to launch to help those in need. Whether you're stuck on a sinking ship, cut off by a rapidly rising tide, or in the water and close to drowning, RNLI crew members will drop everything to come to your rescue. 95% of RNLI lifeboat crews and station staff are volunteers.
But it’s not just lifeboats. RNLI lifeguards patrol 248 beaches across the UK and Channel Islands, keeping people safe, providing safety advice and rescuing those in trouble. Education volunteers visit schools and swimming clubs to help teach the next generation how to enjoy the water safely. And volunteer fundraisers and shop workers give up their time to generate vital funds. The RNLI is also working to help communities around the world that are most at risk of drowning.
If you spot someone in trouble in the water, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
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Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a charity registered in England and Wales (209603), Scotland (SC037736), the Republic of Ireland (20003326), the Bailiwick of Jersey (14), the Isle of Man, the Bailiwick of Guernsey and Alderney

[@Oliver-ub1mb]

Well done to all the brave men and women who protect the uk. Thank you for your dedication.

[@rnli]

Thank you for your support Oliver.

[@terrystephens1102]

Great service to the community - a huge shout-out to the RNLI volunteers 😃👌👏👏👏👏❤️

[@TheByard]

I owned a Dunkirk Little Ship for the years 1995 to 2010, my boat was moored on the Thames at Wraysbury. So grew very familiar with the Thames, her tides and currents so the RNLI are greatly appreciated by all who enjoy the Thames. During my ownership I attended 3 Returns to Dunkirk and on each occasion the ADLS fleet were joined by The RNLI, after all they were at Dunkirk in 1940 saving troops from the beaches. They also doubled as safety escort to the ageing ADLS fleet and the crews joined in on the serious job of beer tasting while moored in Dunkirk.

[@rnli]

Thanks for sharing your experiences

[@rocketboyofficial.5401]

i love the RNLI i watch saving lives at sea every tuseday and i really enjoy it so thank you RNLI

[@rnli]

We're glad that you're enjoying Saving Lives at Sea! Thanks so much for your support.

[@atlantic85]

My dad is a lifeboatman and he was on saving lives at sea… Him and two other crew members were out sailing in great conditions and the mast snapped.

[@wcresponder]

Well done!

[@F10Colin]

Awesome service guys, we are well aware of all you your permanent river stations, but didn’t know about all those little inflatables. Thank you

[@rnli]

That's fantastic to hear, Colin. We are always keen to raise awareness of our presence along the Thames. The lifeguards were there especially for the boat race event.

[@heidispawsandfins]

I never realised how many of you are involved in this event! I do hope the organisers pay or at least give a good donation for your dedication. I can't believe how stupid some people can be, then need you to get them out of their situation. Well done for keeping your heads, I'd give them a good dressing down, LOL Thanks to all RNLI staff and volunteers, you're worth your weight in gold xx

[@rnli]

Thanks Heidi. Lots of people don't realise we're on the Thames, but it's actually our busiest location!

[@atlantic85]

The E-Class lifeboat is specialised for it! That said, the Atlantic-85, or B-Class will always be my favourite…

[@charliegriffith4518]

You used the same cheering audio for the men’s and women’s boat race but otherwise i loved the video

[@BB-tm7gx]

These brave people really deserve our support, I've been giving ever since i was old enough to earn and i have left a substantial portion of my estate to them, that was until now. I will never support them again. I'm sorry but it's the RNLI not the RILI, National not International. Stop empire building. I expect my donations to support the British not people in Africa and elsewhere, if you have so much money, help those that need it in the UK those that work tirelessly on our behalf, not those abroad. IT'S DISGRACFUL.

[@rnli]

Really sorry that you feel like that. We believe that, with others, we should use our lifesaving expertise to try and help tackle the global drowning problem that accounts for 320,000 lives lost each year. We currently spend less than 2% of our total annual expenditure on our international drowning prevention activity, with the vast majority of our resources going towards saving lives around the UK and Irish coasts.

[@BB-tm7gx]

@@rnli If you spend one pound it's one pound to much spend the money you aquire from the british people on them. Now you are laying off staff that have worked really hard for nothing or very little and you are spending 3.3 million on people abroad that have contributed nothing. IT's disgusting. I hope people read this and think about stopping contributing like i have. You could have bought a Tamar Class and several inshore boats but you are buying Burkinies.